Another conundrum

[Stub]

Since taking up golf three years ago I have struggled as a senior (67) player with power and distance (or lack of). For some time I have noticed three of the low handicap players I play with set themselves at address very much as I do but just before starting their take-away and backswing move their hands slightly to their left (RH players) so that the club grip is ahead of the club head.

Last week, with fear and trepidation, I decided to try this on the range. It worked! To my amazement the backswing seemed easier and more natural but more importantly the ball flew higher and longer so that I was alongside other (younger!) players. I have hit 300 balls on the range over the past week using this change and for my medium irons the gain is palpable. My fairway woods and hybrid didn't need the same change but they also seem to benefit.

I have had a series of lessons since taking up golf but none of them has included this 'tip'. Does anyone else do this?

Will be trying it for real on the course tomorrow:fore:.

 

[garyinderry]

It is just encouraging a downward blow on the ball. Much better than trying to help the ball into the air.

http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/Faldo-posture.jpg

 

[AmandaJR]

Is the OP referrring to the "static" address position (a la Faldo above) with some forward shaft lean (something I've always been taught to incorporate) or a forward press type of movement?

 

[garyinderry]

Gets to the same place pre-backswing.

I think if you are going to do it, you may as well pre-set it. doing this just before you swing if you nervous or have any doubt about the shot can cause you to get jerky and more to go wrong as you have just added another moving part to the swing.

You can control the height of the shot by adding even more shaft lean to keep the flight down.

 

[AmandaJR]

Agreed - not keen on the forward press but see a few players who use that to start their backswing.

 

[Slab]

Is the OP referrring to the "static" address position (a la Faldo above) with some forward shaft lean (something I've always been taught to incorporate) or a forward press type of movement?

The way I read it its the latter. I've a mate who does something similar to that described, just a little slight forward movement with the hands before taking the club head backwards (& he hits it forum distances so it must work )

 

[One Planer]

Since taking up golf three years ago I have struggled as a senior (67) player with power and distance (or lack of). For some time I have noticed three of the low handicap players I play with set themselves at address very much as I do but just before starting their take-away and backswing move their hands slightly to their left (RH players) so that the club grip is ahead of the club head.

Last week, with fear and trepidation, I decided to try this on the range. It worked! To my amazement the backswing seemed easier and more natural but more importantly the ball flew higher and longer so that I was alongside other (younger!) players. I have hit 300 balls on the range over the past week using this change and for my medium irons the gain is palpable. My fairway woods and hybrid didn't need the same change but they also seem to benefit.

I have had a series of lessons since taking up golf but none of them has included this 'tip'. Does anyone else do this?

Will be trying it for real on the course tomorrow:fore:.

In those better players, it may be a swing trigger to start their backswing. Jordan Speith has something of a similar swing trigger.

If you have little to no forward shaft lean at address, then a slight press forward may help.Problem is with this kind of movement is it's never going to repeat. Sometimes the hands may move more forward, sometimes less forward.

I also think that this kind of movement forward would also set the club face more to the right which may, or may not, be a good thing for your particular swing (I'm happy to be corrected if this is wrong)

Why not simply set that amount of forward shaft lean (... You get from the forward press) at address?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I use a forward press as I find the slight movement helps me begin the swing, so I don't get stuck like Kevin Na does.
Like Gareth says, it's like a trigger.

 

[Stub]

The reason it seemed a conundrum to me was that I had not been told in my lessons that the club should be inclined so I took it that the guys I was watching were doing something 'strange'. The Faldo position is where they start their backswing from so I don't think it matters if you start from that position by setting it statically or by making a move before the takeaway. Lots of movement doesn't bother Mr Dufner so I think I can cope with this small adjustment. Others may differ...and I may try incorporating the lean into my address position.

 

[garyinderry]

Yeah duffer drags the handle away slightly. If I am trying the hit it higher I remove the forward shaft lean. I have a tendency to strike down quite a bit so removing the shaft lean presents more loft to the ball at impact. Heightens my chances of catching it a bit fat though.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If it works for you keep doing it. Don't ask why, just enjoy it.

 

[chrisd]

My hands are always forward of the club face at address and through the swing. I only change this if I need a higher trajectory to, say, clear a tree or to take off distance.

There are loads of coaches who advocate this on utube. I don't forward press I just start there but I find the strike is infinitely better when I do it

 

[Foxholer]

If it works for you keep doing it. Don't ask why, just enjoy it.

+1

Doesn't work for me - encourages my wrists to get involved on the back-swing. But, generally, anything that helps is a positive!

 

[One Planer]

The reason it seemed a conundrum to me was that I had not been told in my lessons that the club should be inclined so I took it that the guys I was watching were doing something 'strange'. The Faldo position is where they start their backswing from so I don't think it matters if you start from that position by setting it statically or by making a move before the takeaway. Lots of movement doesn't bother Mr Dufner so I think I can cope with this small adjustment. Others may differ...and I may try incorporating the lean into my address position.

You have to consider the natural angles of the club with this. Take a wedge, 7 iron and driver. Sole the club correctly and look at where the shafts point. The grip end of the wedge shaft will lean forward, in front of the club head. The 7 iron less so, and so on .

You wouldn't want a massive amount of forward press with the longer clubs (driver, fairways etc) as it would set, in my uneducated view, some bad angles at address.

With certain clubs like wedges, short and mid irons, you want your hands ahead of the ball at address for sure. With long irons/hybrids fairway and driver, the forward lean becomes much less.

I'll use myself as a (poor) example

I updated a thread a while back with my current address posture. Here's the picture:



That's with a 7 iron. Static address with no forward press. If I draw a red line straight up from the ball, look where my hands are.



Just ahead of the ball and club head. Draw a yellow line to highlight the shaft:



You can see the angle isn't massive, but my hands are ahead of the ball. If I were to forward press from there it would no doubt cause me issue.

if you're getting results you're happy with through a forward press, great :thup: .

All I'm saying is be mindful of the club you forward press.... And how much

With longer clubs, driver as an example, my hands are level with the ball.

 

[OldMate]

I've started with a slight forward press for as long as I can remember. A pro told me as a junior that he thought that I did it because I'm naturally left handed and play right handed. As others have said, for me it feels like a trigger to get the swing moving and creates power, though I'm sure the extent of it is inconsistent and can contribute to thin/heavy contact.

 

[Alex1975]

Have to be careful not to get too down on the ball as it adds spin and become less/non efficient.

Google "spin loft". Better to get the ball lower yet carrying more.

 

[sev112]

Gareth talks a lot of sense on this

But it potentially does a number of things depending on your set up and how you return to the ball, so don't try to work it out unless you are an analytical type of person ,!

For many it helps take the shaft back on plane in a more consistent way, because a number of players drag the handle back. There are a smaller number of players who get stuck trying to take the club back (Kevin Na even?) and this is a common tip in those cases.

Personally, I'd suggest taking note of it, then mentally forgetting about it. Doing it deliberately often leads to doing it too much and "hello hooksville"